The Melbourne Age - July 5, 1998
The five remaining members of superstar rock group INXS are considering re-forming the band under it's original name, The Farriss Brothers.
Despite suggestions that INXS would simply break up without Michael Hutchence, who committed suicide last November, guitarist Tim Farriss said the three brothers who form the core of the band were all eager to keep working together. He said he was also sure the other two members - bass player Garry Gary Beers and multi-instrumentalist Kirk Pengilly - would come aboard when they sat down to consider their options in September.
"It's my personal desire to do something as the Farriss Brothers," Farriss said. "It started as the Farriss Brothers (in 1977), it became INXS (in 1979) and I think it goes back to The Farriss Brothers - that's the way I see it. It's still essentially the same band but it was different then, and it will be different now."
Farriss, the elder brother of Jon and Andrew and the band leader during the early days, said there was no question of the band continuing as INXS with a different lead singer.
"There could never be a replacement for Michael," he said.
He also confirmed that they were planning to organise a massive tribute concert in Britain or the US for Hutchence that they hope would feature the likes of U2, David Bowie, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Nick Cave, Iggy Pop, Tom Jones with each singing a favourite INXS song. A separate concert, featuring some of Australia's biggest rock stars, was likely to be staged in Australia. Proceeds from the shows, to be held later this year or early next, would be pledged to Tiger Lily, Hutchence's 23-month-old daughter by Paula Yates.